Virtu4l-screen
by ConsultingStag
Summary: "Connor!" Hank rushed forward into the dark and promptly tripped over something that was laying around. "Fuck!" His rising panic only grew and threatened to drown him when Connor didn't react to his name or the shouted curse. aka the story how Connor's android abilities nearly gave Hank a goddamn heart-attack Follows System err0r but can be read as a standalone [Hank/Connor]


The driverless taxi came to a halt at the sidewalk next to Hank's house. After paying the thing with virtual cash, Hank got out of the car on slightly unsteady feet.

He wasn't nearly as drunk as he wanted to be or no doubt would be if Connor wasn't living with him. It had been quite some time since Hank had been so drunk that he had simply passed out somewhere. Connor hated it when Hank went out to hit Jimmy's alone and got drunk off his ass. Hank couldn't remember the last time he had made concessions for someone.

Who was he kidding, that was a lie. Of course, he could remember. He could remember far too clearly. And wasn't that the whole reason why he drowned himself in alcohol on the first place.

Cursing, he kicked a stone laying on the sidewalk and made his way to the front door. He was dimly aware that the lights weren't on, but Connor tended to do that when he was home alone and just watching tv.

"It's more environment friendly, Hank."

The environment was already beyond fucked if you asked Hank, but Connor didn't care. Stubborn plastic boy.

He managed to push the key into the lock after only three attempts and minimal cursing and pushed the door open. The door shut with an audible click behind him. The house was silent except for the sound of paws against the floorboards. Turning around, Hank almost tripped over Sumo while trying to find the light switch. Hank petted the dog blindly, before nudging him aside, continuing to search the wall for the light switch he knew was around there somewhere.

Something in the dark caught his attention and he turned his head from the blind search to look towards the direction of whatever it had been.

There, in the unlit living room was a blinking red light.

He froze at the sight, his body going cold with dread before he could get his legs to move. Adrenalin rushed through his body, fighting to get rid of the alcohol making him sluggish.

"Connor?!" Hank rushed forward into the dark and promptly tripped over something that was laying around. "Fuck!" His rising panic only grew and threatened to drown him when Connor didn't react to his name or the shouted curse.

He belatedly remembered that he did have a source of light and pulled out his phone before finally finding and hitting the light switch.

Hank squinted against the brightness, chest tight with worry as he entered the living room.

Connor was sitting on the couch, unmoving. His cheeks looked wet and something in Hank broke.

Connor was crying.

Connor never cried.

Or at least he had never cried in front of Hank.

Maybe Hank had just never been there.

He felt sick.

Had he finally pushed Connor to his breaking point? Like he had done with most of his friendships and relationships? Spend one night out drinking too many? Ignored Connor's concerned voice once too often or brushed it off with guilt-turned-anger?

Hank had known it couldn't last. Had known he would ruin it and fuck it up at some point.

He was too old and bitter. Too angry at the world and too disgusted with himself. Too tired and broken to change.

Connor deserved better than an old, bitter fuck like himself.

He should have never have allowed their relationship to develop into what it was now. Their lives tightly entwined and revolving around each other. Becoming so entangled with Connor that he needed his presence, craved it like he craved the buzz and burning of whiskey down his throat.

He was afraid of what he would do when Connor left him. Not because of himself. He had stopped caring about that long ago. But he was afraid of what it would do to Connor. Boy was far too soft at times.

Hank moved forward on unsteady feet until he stood in front of Connor.

Connor's brows were drawn together and up, eyes shut and tears soundlessly dripping down his face. The sight of it broke Hank's heart. Something about the eerily quiet picture of grief made a lump form in his throat.

"Connor?"

The android didn't react, continuing to just sit there and the tears kept on dripping.

Hank sank to his knees in front of Connor, hands shaking as he lifted them to carefully touch Connor's face and wipe away the tears.

As his hand touched Connor's cheek, the android startled, eyes snapping open in surprise.

"Hank?" Connor blinked, a few more tears slipping free and Hank rubbed them away with a trembling thumb. Connor leaned into the touch, briefly closing his eyes again.

"Hank, what is wrong? You look pale, are you feeling unwell?" The concerned tone left Hank speechless for a moment.

"You're asking me what's wrong? I nearly had a damn heart attack when I saw you." Hank hesitated for a moment, trying to ignore the question he needed to ask as he continued to rub away the wetness on Connor's face. "Did I make you cry, Connor?"

Connor frowned, confusion clear on his face and his now yellow LED began to blink. He only seemed to realize that he had been crying now. Curious fingers trailed over damp cheeks before letting his tongue have a taste to analyse it.

"No, you did not. I was watching a movie, that is the reason I was crying."

Hank breathed a shaky sigh of relief, relaxing slightly and leaning forward to let his forehead rest against Connor's. Hank hoped Connor would ignore his shaking.

"Why would you think that you made me cry?" Gentle fingers carded through his hair and a hand settled against the back of his neck, rubbing tiny circles into his skin. Hank ignored the question, not ready to talk about one of his biggest fears so soon after thinking it had become reality.

"What the hell do you mean you were 'watching a movie'?"

"Oh, I was watching it on my hard drive."

"Don't tell me you have like a whole damn movie collection in your brain."

"No, I only downloaded the one."

"Who fuckin' still downloads movies nowadays anyway? Don't tell me you paid for the damn thing, I'm sure I have like three subscriptions for shit like that."

"I'm a state-of-the-art android, who –"

"You didn't fuckin' pay for it, did you?" Hank laughed, moving onto the couch because he was too damn old to be doing this to his knees. Connor let out that little laugh of his as Hank manhandled him into a comfortable position. Back pressed to Hank's chest, head resting against the point between neck and shoulders.

"No, I didn't." He could practically hear the smirk in Connor's voice and could only shake his head at the fondness that threatened to squeeze his chest until he couldn't breathe anymore.

"What were you watching anyway?" Hank burrowed his nose into Connor's artificial hair, breathing in and feeling the last throes of adrenalin slowly leave his body, as he leaned against the body in front of him.

"'Hachi: A Dog's Tale'. I wanted to watch a movie with dogs, because I like them and chose a highly rated one. I hadn't realized that it would end on such a heart-breaking note."

"Everyone but you knows Hachi is a sure way to start sobbing like a kid."

Connor was silent for a moment, absentmindedly fiddling with the sleeve of the shirt Hank was wearing. Hank tightened his arm against Connor and pressed a kiss into his hair.

"I don't think I like sad movies, Hank."

"That's good to know because I don't think I can handle finding you crying in the god damn dark again."

"I apologize for making you worry. But you should know that you never did anything that could make me cry, Hank." Connor awkwardly turned around in Hank's grasp, until they were face to face. Hands took hold of Hank's face far too tenderly, mirroring Hank's earlier pose.

"You make me happy. You make me feel so incredibly alive and grateful that I met you. I want to stay–"

Hank crushed their lips together before Connor could say anymore because Hank was sure the love and adoration he felt would suffocate him at any moment.

He vowed to try harder. Try to be better. To become a better man. To be someone that deserved to be with Connor.

His line of thought was quickly interrupted when he was pushed onto his back and a heavy weight settled on his hips.

"I want to stay with you for as long as you will have me, Hank."

Hank pulled an arm over his face, cursing under his breath. Damn android would be the end of him.

* * *

Something about the idea of Connor sitting around, eyes closed, watching a movie just stuck in my had and then this abomination was born. I'm sorry Hank *picks up mic* I never meant to be so bad to you~ srly though, didn't mean to give Hank a near emotional breakdown bc fuckin Connor can't just watch a movie on the tv screen like everybody else

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little story, leave a kudo or comment if you want, or some feedback on how I could improve or what to change if you're bored ;)


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